By now, children have been back to school long enough to establish a routine. Are healthy lunches a part of your child’s day? We trust our schools to provide nutritious lunch options when kids purchase lunch at school. Now, the American Dental Association is officially supporting legislation passed by Congress to make changes in the lunches being offered at public schools. Citing the connection between oral and overall health, the ADA issued a statement saying that tooth decay is “the single most common chronic childhood disease.” Your Temecula Valley dentists explain the goal of reducing sodium, fat, and sugar contents in school lunches for better overall health and fewer cavities.
Nutrition and Oral Health
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) utilizes federal assistance to provide free, or low-cost, school lunches to as many as 31 million children, each day. However, the program required some revisions after 15 years. Nutrition advocates, including the ADA, weighed in on the types of changes necessary to update the program. The ADA pointed out that the body is “a complex machine,” and reiterated what an important role food plays in attaining good general and oral health.
Increasing Whole Foods for Better Dental Health
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been directed by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act to re-examine and update the dietary guidelines of school lunches. Increasing fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is the main focus in altering the types of lunches offered to schoolchildren. Calories have also been examined with a focus on age-appropriate limits. Calorie guidelines are categorized by elementary, middle school, and high school.
Sodium content was given close examination, and targets were established for a gradual reduction over the next decade. The overall components of the proposed nutritional changes are specific, but school food authorities are still allowed to create their own menus. Authorities, including the ADA, agree that the shift to whole foods as the staple of school lunches will make an impact on the health of our young students.
Eating healthy is an important part of overall health for children and adults, alike. Your teeth will benefit as well, but don’t forget to visit your Temecula dentist office every six months for a dental checkup. Contact us at (951) 695-2290 to schedule an appointment. We are proud to provide comprehensive dentistry to families in the 92591 zip code, and surrounding communities.
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